Modular freight containers

ABSTRACT

A transportable freight container assembly comprising: an outer freight container having side walls, a base, at least one door to allow access to an interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door in a closed position; a plurality of inner freight containers having side walls, a base, a roof and at least one door to allow access to the interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door; wherein each of the plurality of inner freight containers are configured to be housed at the interior of the outer freight container so as to be removably storable within the outer freight container.

The present invention relates to a freight container assembly having an outer freight container with at least one lockable door and a plurality of inner freight containers each with a lockable door, the inner freight containers being removable stored within the outer freight container.

Large quantities of manufactured goods, foodstuffs and personal possessions are carried all over the world in ISO shipping containers. ISO shipping containers are independent cargo vessels that can be loaded and unloaded easily at for example trains, ships and planes. Presently, the vast majority of world-wide cargo is transported by freight containers stacked on transport ships. Goods are transported in a variety of different sized cargo containers according to the ISO standard.

There are five common standard lengths of ISO containers: 6.1 m (20 ft), 12.2 m (40 ft), 13.7 m (45 ft), 14.6 m (48 ft) and 16.2 m (53 ft). Additionally, there are number of different types of freight container adapted for transporting specific goods, these include: general ‘dry van’ containers for boxes, cartons, pallets, drums and the like; temperature controlled ‘Reefer’ containers; open top ‘bulk containers’ for granular or liquid bulk material; open side containers for loading oversized pallets; flush folding flat-rack containers for heavy and bulky goods; platform or bolster containers used for processed timber, barrels, drums and the like; ventilated containers for organic products and foodstuffs; tank containers for bulk liquids and hazardous goods; rolling floor containers for cargo that is difficult to handle; cargo containers for storing gaseous material; and fully collapsible ISO containers.

The common requirement however for all freight containers is that the goods be protected from the environment during transport and from pilfering as the containers are stored between transportations at, for example, a dock side. Tamper proof customs seals are commonly used to seal the container doors and provide a deterrent to unauthorised access to the cargo tank interior.

The established ISO freight container system works very well for container loads in which the goods remain in the container vessel from the manufacturer, or goods origin point, to the unloading facility at the location of the end user.

However, significant problems occur when the end user requires less than a full container load. For transport efficiency, goods of more than one end user are currently loaded into a single container to make up a full container load. Such shipments are then unloaded from the ISO container at the dock and finally delivered by road. Firstly, if onward transport of one item in the container is stopped by customs for further investigation, then the complete ISO container shipment is held until this single item is cleared. This can significantly inconvenience other users of the same ISO container. Secondly, after clearing customs, the goods removed from the ISO container are then moved using local transportation which introduces significant problems such as handling damage, environmental damage and a high risk of pilfering as the goods are largely non-secure when transported in this manner.

There is therefore a need for a more secure shipping container adapted for the transportation of smaller quantities of goods and in particular a combination of goods of different users.

Accordingly, the inventors provide a transportable freight container assembly with a plurality of inner freight containers which may be removably stored within an outer freight container. Both the outer and inner freight containers comprise lockable doors consistent with conventional ISO shipping containers.

Given the widespread and acceptable use of ISO shipping containers, the present assembly utilises conventional ISO containers for the outer container. The present assembly is therefore compatible with conventional loading and unloading apparatus in addition to stacking and securing braces commonly used during transportation by ship for example.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a transportable freight container assembly comprising: an outer freight container having side walls, a base, at least one door to allow access to an interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door in a closed position; a plurality of inner freight containers having side walls, a base, a roof and at least one door to allow access to the interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door; wherein each of the plurality of inner freight containers is capable of being housed at the interior of the outer freight container so as to be removably storable within the outer freight container.

Preferably, an external width of each inner freight container is slightly less than an internal width of the outer freight container to allow the internal freight containers to be inserted and removed from the interior of the outer freight container.

Preferably, each of the inner freight containers comprises four corner support members extending from a bottom face to a top face of the container when orientated in normal use and five panels extending between the support members to define the side walls, roof and base of the freight container comprising a substantially cuboidal configuration. Preferably, each inner freight container comprises two doors, each door being respectively hingeably mounted to one support member, the two doors defining one of the side walls of the freight container.

Preferably, the support members extend beyond the base panel to define four support feet when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use. These support feet allow each inner freight container to be readily loaded and unloaded from the outer freight container by sliding the inner freight containers along the base panel of the outer freight container. The four support feet reduce the frictional contact between the outer and inner containers to facilitate loading and unloading.

Preferably, each inner freight container comprises lift means to allow the freight container to be connected to lifting apparatus and suspended off the ground. Optionally, the lift means may comprise a hook or loop respectively attached of the support members. Alternatively, the lift means may comprise at least one aperture respectively provided at each of the support members. Such apertures are configured to receive a lug which, when located within each aperture stands proud of the inner freight container and provides a means to secure a lifting harness to each container. Preferably, each aperture is positioned at one of the side faces of each support member when the inner freight container is orientated in normal use with the base facing downward towards the ground and roof facing upward in an opposed direction.

Preferably, each hook or loop is positioned at a top end of each support member when the freight container is orientated in normal use. In particular, four lift means, and in particular four hook or loops may be respectively positioned at each of an upward facing top end of each support member when the freight container is orientated in normal use.

Optionally, each lift means, when formed as a hook or loop, is configured to be moveable between a lifting position (to extend away from the upward facing end of the support member), a transport position (laying flat against the upward facing end of each support member) and a stacking position (rigidly held in a substantially vertical direction aligned with the longitudinal axis of each support member).

Preferably, each lifting hoop or hook is mounted at a rotatable spindle, wherein each hoop is capable of rotation about an axis aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of each support member. In particular, each hook or hoop is moveable between the lifting, transport and stacking positions by being pivotally mounted at the rotatable spindle about an axis aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each support member.

Preferably, each support member comprises an aperture provided at a downward facing end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use, each aperture being sized to accommodate the hoop of a lower inner freight container when two inner freight containers are stacked one top of another and their respective support members aligned in the vertical direction to create a vertical stack of inner freight containers.

Optionally, each inner freight container comprises tamper indication means provided at the at least one door, the tamper indication means configured to provide an indication of unauthorised opening of the at least one door of the inner freight container.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a transportable freight container comprising: four support posts positioned at four corner edges of the freight container and orientated in the substantially vertical direction when the container is orientated in normal use; at least three side panels positioned between the support posts to define the walls of the container; a base panel extending between each of the four support posts; a roof panel positioned between each of the four support posts; at least one door having lock means, the at least one door extending between two support posts to define one side face of the freight container; and lift means positioned at an upward facing top end of each of the support posts when the freight container is orientated in normal use, the lift means being moveable between a lifting position, a transport position and a stacking position.

Optionally, each inner freight container may comprise a ‘tow eye’ or similar to allow the container to be coupled to a rope, chain, belt, strap or the like and to be pulled, for example, out of the outer container.

A specific implementation of the present invention will now be described, according to a preferred embodiment, and by way of example, with reference to the following figures in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a plurality of inner freight containers housed within an outer freight container according to a specific implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the outer and inner freight containers of FIG. 1 with a roof and side panel removed from the inner freight container;

FIG. 3 illustrates an end view of the outer freight container housing the inner freight containers of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed view of the corner fittings of the outer freight container of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side elevation view of the door side of the inner freight container of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed view a lifting hoop provided at an upper end of a support post of each inner freight container of FIG. 5, the hoop orientated in a stacking position;

FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed view a lifting hoop provided at an upper end of a support post of each inner freight container of FIG. 5, the hoop orientated in a lifting position;

FIG. 8 illustrates a detailed view a lifting hoop provided at an upper end of a support post of each inner freight container of FIG. 5, the hoop orientated in a non-use position;

FIG. 9 illustrates two inner freight containers of FIG. 5 stacked on top of one other in the vertical direction;

FIG. 10 illustrates an attachment point (tow eye) provided on a door side of the inner freight container to allow the freight container to be coupled to a tow rope and pulled laterally;

FIG. 11 illustrates a customs seal attached to the doors of the inner freight container of FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 illustrates the inner freight container of FIG. 5 suspended from a lifting cradle of FIG. 5;

FIG. 13 illustrates the attachment of a lifting pin to a lifting aperture provided at a side face of the inner freight container; and

FIG. 14 illustrates the attachment of the lifting cradle of FIG. 12 to the lifting pin of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an outer freight container 100, being a convention ISO shipping container comprises elongate side panels 200, a base 201, and a roof (not shown) extending between an upper region of side panels 200. Four support posts 202 extend from base 201 to the roof (or an uppermost region of side panels 200) to define the four vertical edges of the outer freight container when orientated in normal use with the base 201 positioned downward facing towards the ground. Two doors (not shown) are provided at one end of the elongate freight container and are hingeably mounted at two opposed support posts 202.

A plurality of inner freight containers 101 are housed within the interior 102 of outer freight container 100. Each inner freight container 101 comprises three side panels 205, a base panel 204 and a roof panel 203. Two doors 206 are provided at a fourth side face of container 101 and are openable to provided access to the interior of container 101.

To enable convenient loading and unloading of the plurality of inner containers 101 within outer container 100, a maximum width 305 of each inner container 101 is slightly less than the internal width 306 of the outer freight container 100 defined by the inner facing surfaces of the elongate side panels 200 extending between first and second ends of the elongate outer freight container 100.

Each inner freight container 101 comprises four corner posts 301 extending between base panel 204 and roof panel 203. The base 204, side 205 and roof 203 panels extend between the four corner posts 301 such that each inner freight container 101 comprises a substantially cuboidal configuration. The fourth side face of the cube is defined by the two opposed doors 206 that meet at a position 304 substantially midway between opposed corner posts 301. Each door 206 is hingeably mounted at a respective corner post 301 via three hinges 300. A door lock 303 is positioned at the mating edges 304 of doors 206 to provide a releasable locking mechanism for the doors such that when locked access to the interior of container 101 is prevented. Four lifting hoops or rings 302 extend from an upper facing end of each support post 301 when container 101 is orientated in normal use as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 4 illustrates a corner fitting 400 provided at each vertice of the outer freight container 100. The hollow cuboidal corner fitting 400 comprises an aperture 401 provided at each of the two exposed side faces of the corner fitting 400 and an aperture 402 provided at an end face of corner fitting 400 as used with conventional ISO shipping containers. Referring to FIG. 5, each elongate support post 301 extends slightly beyond base panel 204 in the vertical direction to define locating feet 500 at each lowermost corner of container 101. Feet 500 facilitate movement of each inner containers 101 as they are pushed or pulled along the length of base panel 201 of the outer freight container 100 during loading and unloading.

Each of four lifting hoops 302 is configured to be moveable between three positions: a stacking position illustrated in FIG. 6; a lifting position illustrated in FIG. 7 and a non-use position illustrated in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 6 to 8, lifting hoop 302 comprises a U-shaped section 601 connectable to a hook or the like of a lifting harness (not shown) to allow container 101 to be suspended off the ground and loaded and unloaded at the outer freight container 100. Each end of the U-section 601 is bordered by locating arms 606 that are mounted at a rotatable spindle 603 via a cross strut 604 that extends through an internal bore 605 of spindle 603 which is aligned perpendicular to a main length of spindle 603 and support post 301. Lifting hoop 302 is pivotable about spindle 603 via rotation of shaft 604 within bore 605. That is, lifting hoop 302 is configured to pivot relative to an upper facing end surface 600 of support post 301.

Additionally, spindle 603 is rotatably mounted within a spindle recess 606 extending axially a distance through support post 301 parallel with the longitudinal axis of support post 301. Two recesses 602 also extend from each uppermost surface 600 into each support post 301 and are configured to receive the locating arms 606 of lifting hoop 302.

Referring to FIG. 6, the lifting hoop 302 may be orientated in a stacking position wherein spindle 603 is rotated such that arms 606 are positioned directly above recesses 602. The entire lifting hoop assembly 302 is then displaced vertically downward such that arms 606 are received in recesses 602 and spindle 603 is received in recess 606. In this configuration the lifting section 601 is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation and is prevented from rotation as arms 606 are located within recesses 602.

Referring to FIG. 7, with arms 606 clear of recesses 602, the lifting hoop assembly 302 is capable of rotation as spindle 603 may rotate about an axis aligned substantially parallel with the longitudinal support post 301. Additionally, lifting hoop 302 is allowed to pivot about spindle 603 when orientated in the lifting position as illustrated in FIG. 7 being connected to a lift harness or the like (not shown). In a non-use position, illustrated in FIG. 8, the U-shaped lifting section 601 is orientated flat against uppermost surface 600.

FIG. 9 illustrates two inner freight containers 101 stacked on top of one another in the vertical direction. Freight containers 101 may be stacked in columns during transport or storage at a dock side, for example. To increase the stability of the stacked containers, neighbouring containers 900, 901 are configured to interlock via the respective upward and downward facing ends of each corner support post 301. In particular, a lowermost facing end surface 903 of each support post 301 comprises an aperture 902 having a diameter approximately equal to or slightly greater than the distance between outermost regions of locating arms 606 of lifting hoop 302. Accordingly, lifting hoop 302 and in particular U-shaped section 601 is capable of insertion through aperture 902 to sit within an internal cavity 904 provided in the lower end section 905 of each support post 301. That is, when the support posts 301 of an upper 900 and lower 901 container 101 are aligned axially in the vertical direction and the upper facing surface 600 of lower container 901 is positioned opposed to the downward facing surface 903 of upper container 900, lifting hoop 302 of lower container 901 extends into hollow cavity 904 of upper container 900 via aperture 902. Lateral stability of the stack is provided by the close frictional contact of arms 606 against the inner edge (or surface) of aperture 902.

Referring to FIG. 10, each inner container 101 comprises a tow-eye 1001 to enable container 101 to be coupled to a tow line (not shown) used to pull the container 101 in a lateral direction, for example, during unloading of the containers 101 from outer container 100. Tow-eye 1001 comprises upper 1003 and lower 1002 opposed plates and a bolt 1004 extending between plates 1003, 1002. Accordingly, a rope, hook or the like may be secured around bolt 1004. The tow-eye arrangement 1001 is positioned at a cross-beam 1000 extending between support posts 301 at a lowermost edge of the door face of the cuboidal container 101.

Referring to FIG. 11, doors 206 may be secured in the closed position via attachment of a conventional customs seal 1101 to closure brackets 1102 positioned towards the mating edges 304 of each door 206. Referring to FIGS. 11 to 14, each inner container 101 comprises additional lifting means in the form of apertures 1100 provided at side faces 1103 of each support post 301 when container 101 is orientated in normal use. Apertures 1100 are positioned slightly lower than a mid-point in the vertical direction between the downward facing end 903 and upward facing end 600 of each support post 301.

A lifting pin 1300 comprises an inner abutment 1302 configured to releasably engaged support post 301 via aperture 1100 so as to secure pin 1300 at post 301. An outer connection portion 1301 of pin 1300 is connectable to a connection ring provided at one end of a strap 1201 connected to a lifting harness 1200. Accordingly, container 101 may be suspended off the ground during loading and unloading at outer container 100 via engagement of each lifting pin 1300 located within each aperture 1100 by the lifting harness 1200, 1201, 1202.

According to the specific implementation described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 14, each inner freight container 101 comprises a modular construction in which the cuboidal configuration is constructed by assembly of the independent modular components including in particular: side panels 205, base 204, roof 203, doors 206 and support posts 301. Support posts 301 are preferably manufactured from steel however base, side and roof panels 204, 205, 203 may comprise steel, fibreglass or a rigid polymer based material. 

1. A transportable freight container assembly comprising: an outer freight container having side walls, a base, at least one door to allow access to an interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door in a closed position; a plurality of inner freight containers having side walls, a base, a roof and at least one door to allow access to the interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door; wherein each of the plurality of inner freight containers is capable of being housed at the interior of the outer freight container so as to be removably storable within the outer freight container.
 2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein an external width of each inner freight container is slightly less than an internal width of the outer freight container to allow the internal freight containers to be inserted and removed from the interior of the outer freight container.
 3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the inner freight containers comprises four corner support members extending from a bottom face to a top face of the container when orientated in normal use and five panels extending between the support members to define the side walls, roof and base of the freight container comprising a substantially cuboidal configuration.
 4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein each inner freight container comprises two doors, each door being respectively hingeably mounted to one support member, the two doors defining one of the side walls of the freight container.
 5. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the support members extend beyond the base panel to define four support feet when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use.
 6. The assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein each inner freight container comprises lift means to allow the freight container to be connected to lifting apparatus and suspended off the ground.
 7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lift means comprises at least one hook or loop respectively attached to each of the support members.
 8. The assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the lift means comprises at least one aperture respectively provided at each of the support members.
 9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein each aperture is positioned at one of the side faces of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use.
 10. The assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein each hook or loop is positioned at a top end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use.
 11. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 comprising four lift means, each respective lift means being provided at each of a respective upward facing top end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use.
 12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein each lift means is configured to be movable between a lifting position, a transport position and a stacking position.
 13. The assembly as claimed in claim 3 comprising four lift hoops, each one of the hoops being respectively positioned as an upper facing end of each of the support members when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use, the lift means configured to allow each inner freight container to be attached to lifting apparatus to suspend each freight container off the ground.
 14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein each hoop is mounted at a rotatable spindle wherein each hoop is capable of rotation about an axis aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of each support member.
 15. The assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein each support member comprises an aperture provided at a downward facing end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use, each aperture being sized to accommodate said hoop of a lower inner freight container when two inner freight containers are stacked one top of another and their respective support members aligned in the vertical direction to create a vertical stack of freight containers.
 16. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each inner freight container comprises tamper indication means provided at the at least one door, the tamper indication means configured to provide an indication of unauthorised opening of the at least one door of the inner freight container.
 17. A transportable freight container comprising: four support posts positioned at four corner edges of the freight container and orientated in the substantially vertical direction when the container is orientated in normal use; at least three side panels positioned between the support posts to define the walls of the container; a base panel extending between each of the four support posts; a roof panel positioned between each of the four support posts; at least one door having lock means, the at least one door extending between two support posts to define one side face of the freight container; and lift means positioned at an upward facing top end of each of the support posts when the freight container is orientated in normal use, the lift means being moveable between a lifting position, a transport position and a stacking position.
 18. The freight container as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a plurality of apertures, at least one aperture being provided at a side face of each of the support posts at a position between the upper facing end and a bottom facing end of each support posts, when the container is orientated in normal use.
 19. The freight container as claimed in claim 17 wherein each lift means comprises a hoop mounted at a rotatable spindle, wherein each hoop is configured to rotate about at an axis aligned substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of each support post. 